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World Malaria Day Lights Up, Transmission Down
25 April 2013

Lights Up, Transmission Down

World Malaria Day shines a light on efforts to control malaria – a parasitic disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, that kills almost a million people every year. Strategies to control both the parasite and its insect hosts have floundered, and scientists are turning to genetics to engineer a break in transmission. They are modifying mosquitoes to resist the malaria parasite – GM ‘mozzies’ that could in future replace their malaria-carrying mates in the wild. Like its wild counterparts this mosquito pupa (pictured) dwells beneath the water surface before transforming into a flying syringe. But unlike the mini-bioterrorists that collect and deliver their deadly parasite cargo as they take a blood meal, this shiny specimen cannot transmit malaria. The orange hue (seen under UV light) tells scientists it has incorporated a genetic ‘docking station’ into its DNA that accepts a ‘play-list’ of genes conferring malaria resistance that could interrupt malaria transmission.

Written by Caroline Cross

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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